The James Hutton Institute, is assessing the value of legumes across intercropping systems. Here, two scientists working on the project, Pete Iannetta and Sam Holden, report on their early findings including how they have increased yield, lifted protein and mitigated risk.
Intercropping – the practice of growing two or more crops together in the same field at the same time to optimise and assure yields with less inputs – is gaining attention. This interest extends beyond traditional pulse-cereal combinations, to pulse-pulse mixtures as a practical way to manage risk, reduce fertiliser inputs and improve home-grown protein production. Recent work on pea-bean combinations, alongside pulse-cereal mixtures, is beginning to show where the real opportunities lie, and where more work is still needed.
Three pea-bean intercrop trials have recently been completed and are under assessment, focusing on nitrogen-fertiliser use offset and following crop effects due to difference in crop-stand density and varietal choice. Alongside this, wider work on pulse-cereal mixtures has explored how winter- and spring-sown legumes grown with cereals can deliver protein yield either as grain, or as wholecrop forage. Together, these studies are helping build a clearer picture of what intercrops can offer on farm.